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E39 (1997 - 2003) The BMW 5-Series (E39 chassis) was introduced in the United States as a 1997 model year car and lasted until the 2004 when the E60 chassis was released. The United States saw several variations including the 525i, 528i, 530i and 540i. -- View the E39 Wiki

Its looking more and more that i need to replace the tranny in my touring wagon (2000 528--see other post on e39 does not crank after revving high if curious about specifics). A reliable indy (360 miles away) quoted me at $3875 for parts and labor with the rebuilt tranny coming from a reputable supplier in CA.

The car is beautiful (silver with black interior). I just put money into suspension parts and the control module for traction control was just fixed. New radiator, front door seals, alternator, and rear ball joints... It needs front shocks. I figure (looking at ebay) that a car like this (with 165,000 miles on it) is worth about $6500.

Do i fix or give up?

Has anyone had luck parting out their car? it sounds like a pain in the arse. What could i get for parts do you think? ...and over what time frame??

not much help im afraid, but for visibility I just wanted to add that when my auto gearbox gave up, I had it rebuilt, using BMW parts from a reputable gearbox specialist here in London. I paid £1450 which is around $2300 USD. I did have quotes to the equivalent of $3300 or so USD too. I suggest you shop around to see if indeed there is anyone USA based that does the re-condition service for a keener price. That said, the job is complex and involved, so you won't find anything like $1100 or something to do this job.

To me, the job was worth it at the time it happened. My car is ex police so for it to last till 172K miles was good considering the amount of punishment police vehicles go through. The car at the time it happened was just 3.5 years or so old so I got it so cheap that even with the cost of the gearbox rebuild, I still had an utter bargain of a car.

To you, only you can tell if the job is worth doing or if it means to part the car out. Parting out the easy bits isn't too bad as all you need to do is loosen and remove, but for the bigger oily bits it's down to your skill levels and of course time and space.

Its looking more and more that i need to replace the tranny in my touring wagon (2000 528--see other post on e39 does not crank after revving high if curious about specifics). A reliable indy (360 miles away) quoted me at $3875 for parts and labor with the rebuilt tranny coming from a reputable supplier in CA.

The car is beautiful (silver with black interior). I just put money into suspension parts and the control module for traction control was just fixed. New radiator, front door seals, alternator, and rear ball joints... It needs front shocks. I figure (looking at ebay) that a car like this (with 165,000 miles on it) is worth about $6500.

Do i fix or give up?

Has anyone had luck parting out their car? it sounds like a pain in the arse. What could i get for parts do you think? ...and over what time frame??

I have a used one for $975.00 delivered with a 1-year warranty. Something to consider...

Sorry to hear your bad news . . . can't say I am that surprised based on symptoms. Did you get a professional diagnosis, or is this your speculation?

As DC said, parting it out is not really fun, it's work. Dealing with the shipping alone is a PITA. If you are handy and have the tools and time, you can get some cash. Will you get more than what you'd pay to replace the tranny? Unknown. But the parts are used.

It is a tough call. If you've just sunk thousands of dollars into the car, then it may be worth it. You might, MIGHT be able to find another touring (this time get a manual!) for, say, $5-8k. But it's going to have the same or greater mileage than you have, and you won't really know its history. With your car, at least you know what's been done.

Once a car is old enough, you get to the point where it's not really about whether it's "worth it" (in terms of the cost of the parts versus the actual value of the car) but how much you enjoy the car...and how much you'd have to pay to buy another car you also enjoy. I do think you can do way better than $4k for a transmission. That is a lot. See Joe's post. But you need to be careful with used transmissions.

I am still speculating. but signs are pointing more and more to tranny failure.

this car has been the primary mode of transport for me and, on longer trips, my family...so reliability is a concern. I love the bmw BUT there is nobody nearby who can service it. this indy has told me he can install a tranny for about $750 but i do worry about being stuck in the same position (minus $1700) if the used tranny fails. I didn't realize this was a weak spot for the e39.

Parting it out is a PITA. Another PITA to consider is that you will need to look for a new car, and you never know what you're going to get. Fix your car, it's a less of a headache, quick, and you have 1 year warranty from Joe B.

What if you can't even make the money on parting your car out? Forget it. Too mach troubles and too much unknown.

But if you part it, let me know. I want some parts.

mw

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MatWiz"The greatest thing about the internet, is that you can quote something and totally make up the source." - George Washington.

I still am interested in hearing a ball-park figure for what the car could net from parting out. thanks

Realistically parting a car out sucks unless you have a lot of extra time. Realistically nobody wants a lot of worn interior items, so it can take 6 months - 2 years to get rid of everything. You live in North Dakota so likely with fewer people unless you'll have to ship big parts, which takes a lot of time too. I would either find someone who will buy it as is, or rebuild the tranny. It sounds like you have done a lot of preventative maintenance (subframe bushings --not many have gotten to this) so I would consider keeping the car. It's been sitting for months it sounds like, so I would perhaps put an ad up and see what people will offer + cost of replacement car vs. tranny rebuild.

I had my 1988 E32 tranny rebuilt some years ago with good results for < $3000. Not the same auto box though. Just sold that car yesterday! 200K + mi. one owner DIY car. On the old E32 forum board at bimmerboard there was a go to guy at ZF here in the USA >>> Contact Kurt Kellar in Zeeland, Michigan. He's busy, but if you leave him a message with a phone number he will call you back. Great guy and an expert on these transmissions. His number is 616-748-5735. I would bounce all of this off of him,ie. rebuild yours, exchange, etc. BTW, I have (2) two new, unused (in the box) rear shocks for a coil sprung iT if you need them (or anyone else).

Not trying to hijack this thread, but could you explain why the 5 speed is junk? Just curious. I've got ~160K mile son my 5 speed steptronic and would like to know what to expect. It is currently doing well and is the nicest shifting auto I've ever had.

I have replaced my transmission with a rebuilt from a california rebuilder who specialized in bmw trannies. it cost $3500 (installed by a local tranny shop) and came with a 2.5 year warrantee [which i can't seem to spell right]. I've been very happy so far. I would strongly recommend going this route rather than going with a used unit.

To answer your question, eric (months now after you asked it) i came to understand that these auto trannies only go around 160k before crapping out. Good luck.